Monday, June 22, 2009

Happy Birthday to Me

DAY ONE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY THREE

I've done some great hikes on my birthday. Once I hiked the PCT from Hwy 74 to the Tram, well over thirty miles. I've done a traverse of San Gorgonio from Fish Creek to Angeles Oaks, about 28 miles. Today's hike was nothing like that. That doesn't mean I didn't have a great day; I just didn't do a marathon hike.

I went with my son up to the Mount Palomar Observatory. There's not a lot up there except the telescope and a little gift shop. It is still very cool and there's a trail there. That'll be my hike today.

The trail heads down through the Sage and Oak and I guess it goes up to the back side of the Observatory. There's not really a map at the trailhead.

Some people may use this bench but we don't need it; the trail is easy.

The trail crosses this little bridge and there is actually still some water in this little creek.

The landscape is pretty in sections and the weather up here is beautiful. There are a far amount of bugs, though, and I'm a little skittish around bees for some reason.

The trail just keeps going and while I'd like to get to the end of it, Nikolas is anxious to get on to the Wild Animal Park which is our next stop so we turn around before the end.

Although the trail doesn't actually go to the Observatory we do get a view of it through the trees. Sort of.

Here's a better view of it just because.

We headed on to the Wild Animal Park and probably did more walking there than we did on the trail but I won't count that. Mount Palomar is a very cool area and I hope to get back again and finish this hike and try some of the other hikes on the mountain. The Wild Animal Park was fun and that's another place we have to go back to. But now I'm just gonna enjoy some cake.